Chalana M. Scales-Ferguson, Esq.
Chalana M. Scales-Ferguson, Esq. is an attorney, educator, entrepreneur, and writer whose research and service centers the intersectionality of race and gender, specifically within workplace, educational, and family systems. Chalana is a licensed member of the Missouri Bar who currently serves as the inaugural Associate Vice Chancellor of Institutional Equity at Washington University in St. Louis. She recently returned to her hometown of St. Louis following a three year stint as the DiPrior to transitioning to academia, Chalana was a practicing attorney at Lashly & Baer, P.C. in St. Louis where she represented corporations and school districts in education, employment and business law matters before founding Ferguson Law Group, LLC in 2015, where she was the Managing Attorney.
Chalana earned her Juris Doctorate degree with a concentration in employment law from Saint Louis University School of Law and received her undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia in Interdisciplinary Studies with emphases in Black Studies, Psychology and Women’s Studies. Prior to pursuing her legal education, Chalana gained professional experience in corporate and non-profit organizations, while devoting most of her time to raising her two daughters, Jazmyn and Raevyn. Having aspired to become an attorney for most of her life, she returned to law school at a time when she felt she could achieve appropriate balance in her family and professional life. Her daughters served as her inspiration for her completing law school and she knew she was setting an example for them of how to be committed to family while pursuing personal and professional goals.
Family is at the core of Chalana’s existence and she is dedicated to sharing her message of how, although life is imperfect and will present its challenges, we may attain unimaginable possibilities through a solid village, a relentless spirit, and faith that we can and will achieve excellence in all we set forth to do. Chalana was born to a teenage mother and was hours away from foster care placement before extended family members welcomed her into a loving kinship care arrangement. She later became the subject of a tumultuous family court battle, and her early years were plagued by adverse childhood experiences. Though she experienced love and joy, she endured many things children should not go through and continues on a journey of healing and resilience. She later became a young mother herself and used a complicated family situation to fuel her own commitment to excellence. While often falling short and facing a series of detours and roadblocks, she continues to pursue her own personal and professional dreams and shares her story with women and girls who may need the encouragement to keep persevering “in spite of.”
Chalana is devoted to community and is a passionate and active servant leader who recognizes how important “the Village” is to her story. Recognizing that, “To whom much is given, much is required” she has engaged with civic organizations including the Women’s Leadership and Charmaine Chapman Society Cabinets for the United Way of Greater St. Louis, Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Steering Committee, and the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis. Chalana has devoted countless hours volunteering with organizations such as: Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri, YWCA Metro St. Louis, Boys and Girls Club of St. Louis, and the St. Louis Gateway Classic Sports Foundation. She has served on the board of directors for YWCA Metro St. Louis and Boys and Girls Club of the Columbia Area. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and currently serves as First Vice President of the St. Louis Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter.
In efforts to enhance her leadership and business acumen, Chalana matriculated through the FOCUS-St. Louis CoroTM Women in Leadership and Leadership St. Louis, as well as the St. Louis Business Diversity Initiative Fellows programs. Chalana has been recognized in the community for her service and leadership through awards including: St. Louis American Salute to Young Leaders, Ameren Community Lights, St. Louis Phenomenal Woman, DELUX Magazine Power 100 and Urban League Distinctive Young Leaders. During her tenure at the University of Missouri School of Law, she was the recipient of the Lloyd L. Gaines Award from the Black Law Students Association, the Faculty Excellence Award from the Board of Advocates, Carey Mae Carroll Award from the MU Women’s Law Association, and the MU Inclusive Excellence Award from the University-wide Staff Advisory Council.
In 2012, Chalana, with her husband, Lathon, co-founded Saint Louis F.O.R.C.E. Athleticz, Inc., a volunteer-based non-profit organization for female athletes which emphasized holistic development, not only through athletic prowess, but also cultivating strong character and commitment to community through service. She has since co-founded, again with her husband, Marriage MasterMYnds, a couples mentoring ministry and network, in which they promote healthy marriages and family life. Chalana is thrilled to use her professional and personal achievements to pour into others, especially young women and girls, through education, service, and mentoring.
Jittaun believes in the power of humanity to shape a just and equitable society. Challenged by The Berkeley Institute—her high school—motto, Respice Finem, (to keep the end in view) and her alma mater Tennessee State University’s charge to, “Enter to learn. Go forth to serve,” she remains committed to doing the work necessary to manifest her belief.
A graduate of Saint Louis University School of Law where she served on the executive board of the BLSA chapter, was a National BLSA Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competitor, and received the Everett Hullverson Award for Excellence in Trial Advocacy, Jittaun has long understood the importance of maintaining a commitment to excellence. After graduating law school, she practiced for several years at a local firm, before entering into private practice, and later working at two American Law 100 firms where she was integral to building their diversity, equity and inclusion function.
Jittaun currently serves on the Board of Directors for Cultural Leadership; served on the Executive Board of the Association of Law Firm Diversity Professionals; volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children; and volunteers with the St. Louis Art Fair.
I am an Associate at Polsinelli PC law firm, where I practice financial services litigation. I represent financial institutions and financial divisions of major corporations in commercial matters, including assisting lenders in structuring, documenting, and negotiating financial transactions. In 2022, I received recognition for my pro bono efforts at Polsinelli and was selected for inclusion in The National Black Lawyers Top 40 list, which recognizes successful and influential lawyers known for providing exceptional legal representation in their practice. In 2023, I was inducted into the Regional Business Council's YPN Leadership 100, which recognizes leaders who have demonstrated leadership and service to the community.
Furthermore, I am an adjunct professor over the Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Program at Washington University School of Law. The program bridges the gap between the legal profession and the Saint Louis community by arranging for law students to teach constitutional literacy courses in local high schools. Fun Fact -- I first joined Mound City as a high school student when I attended Northwest Academy of Law.
Kenneth Goins
Kenneth D. Goins, Esq is a proud Father of 4 children (3 girls and 1 boy) and works as an attorney in the General Counsel's Office for the Metropolitan St Louis where he practices in in the areas of employment law, general litigation, contracts, finance and real estate. Ken is a Director at Protecting American Families an organization that educates and advocates for family law and criminal reform and promoting and providing family centered programming. Ken is on the Board at his Church The Righteous Branch.
The Honorable Anne-Marie Clarke
The Hon. Anne-Marie Clarke (retired) Retired as Commissioner of the 22nd Circuit Court, Juvenile Division on March 31, 2019 after serving 33 years. She is a past chair of the Judicial Council Division of the National Bar Association. She is currently serving on the Board of Governors of the National Bar Association as Member-at-Large. She is a past President of the Mound City Bar and currently serves as Chair of the Centennial Celebration Committee.
Monique Nketah, Esq.
Hello and thank you for stopping by to read a little about me. My name is Monique D. Nketah. I currently work at World Wide Technology, LLC as a Contracts Manager. I am from Florissant, and currently reside in St. Louis City with my husband, Emmanuel, and our two wonderful miniature golden doodles, Cyclone and Hercules. My true passions are writing, singing, and serving others. I love creating devotional journals, books, and music. I currently take voice lessons and sing on the worship team and in the mass choir at Friendly Temple M.B.C. There, I also serve a youth and young adult ministry leader. Additionally, I am an assistant volleyball coach at North County Christian School. Other times, when I’m free, I enjoy watching K-dramas.
I graduated from Saint Louis University School of Law with my Juris Doctorate and the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business with my Master of Business Administration degrees in 2017. I also passed the Missouri bar that same year. I have had a number of jobs in the legal field from working at the Department of Revenue to the St. Louis County Counselor’s Office to working as a solo practitioner.
My goal for this board and in life is to make a difference in someone else’s life through service, encouragement and inspiration. I want people to feel seen and a little bit better because they met me. I also hope to build lasting relationships with more members and others through of our association. Finally, but not in the least, I am a member of the Mound City Bar Foundation.
Monique D. Abby, Esq.
Monique D. Abby is a native of St. Louis, Missouri, growing up in St. Louis County. She is
a graduate of Howard University in Washington, DC wherein she received her B.A. in Political
Science with a minor in Business. Ms. Abby is also a graduate of Saint Louis University School
of Law wherein she received her J.D. She is currently an Assistant Circuit Attorney in the City
of St. Louis, a former Public Defender, former Municipal Judge, former Municipal Prosecutor,
and she previously ran a successful private law firm, Abby Law Firm, LLC.
Ms. Abby is heavily involved in various organizations in the Greater St. Louis area
which include being the Region 1 Director for the Missouri Child Support Education
Association, Board Member at Large for the Women Lawyers Association of Greater St. Louis,
Membership Chair of the Mound City Bar Association, Social Committee Chair of the Howard
Alumni Club-St. Louis, Immediate Vice-President of the Mound City Bar Foundation, a
Past-President of the Mound City Bar Association, member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority,
Incorporated-St. Louis Alumnae Chapter, member of the St. Louis County Bar Association,
member of the National Council of Negro Women-Greater Metropolitan Section, and a member
of the Ferguson Community Task Force- Housing Unit. Additionally, Ms. Abby mentors
students interested in becoming Attorneys and also dedicates her time to various community
projects.
Ms. Abby truly believes in the quote of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “Injustice
anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” and has dedicated her legal career to advocating for
and providing fair and equal legal services to all.
Thomas K. Neill
Tom practices with the firm of Gray, Ritter & Graham, P.C., focusing on personal injury and consumer class actions. He has been a member of MCBA since 2015 and served as Chair of the Election Committee in 2020. Tom has served in a number of roles for the Bar over the years, including the Joint Commission on Women in the Profession. He was a member of the Executive Committee of the Lawyers Association of St. Louis from 2009 to 2018, serving as President in 2014-2015. In 2017, he was elected to the Appellate Judicial Commission for a six-year term, after previously serving on the 22nd Circuit Judicial Commission. Tom has received a number of recognitions for his work, including the St. Louis County Bar Association's Roy F. Essen Outstanding Young Lawyer Award, Missouri Lawyers Weekly's Appellate Advocacy Award, and the Best Lawyers in America award for Mass Torts Litigation/Class Action - Plaintiffs. Tom is a lifelong resident of the City of St. Louis, except for the seven years he attended the University of Missouri-Columbia for undergrad and law school. He is married to Sara Neill, also an attorney, and they have two kids.